The present invention relates to apparatus for applying a coupling to an end of a hose. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus which can be manually operated in field applications.
The present invention relates in particular to the application of pressed-on couplings of the type which typically includes coaxial inner and outer sleeves, the outer sleeve having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the associated hose, and the inner sleeve having an outer diameter at least as great as the inner diameter of the hose, so that the coupling must be force- or press-fitted onto the hose and with the hose inner diameter being slightly stretched or spread by the inner sleeve of the coupling. The present invention has to do with apparatus for performing this press-fitting operation, and is particularly useful for larger heavy duty type hose which is relatively rigid, and the operation of applying the coupling to the hose therefore requires substantial force.
Typically, after the coupling has been pressed onto the hose end, the outer sleeve of the coupling then is swaged into firm gripping engagement with the outer surface of the hose by swaging apparatus which forms no part of the present invention, to complete the hose assembly. Typical of the hoses and couplings with which this invention is intended to be used are, for example, the S6 type hose and the S6-SF type flanged coupling manufactured by Anchor Coupling Co., Inc., the assignee of the present invention and a subsidiary of Amerace Corporation.
While apparatus is known for applying pressed-on couplings to hose ends, the prior art apparatus is principally hydraulically-driven, heavy-duty apparatus which is not readily portable and is not suitable for field use.
Hand actuated means have been provided for the swagging of couplings onto hose ends, one such apparatus being illustrated for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,298, issued on Jan. 7, 1975. But this device is intended to be used only for the swaging operation, and it is necessary that the couplings have been press-fitted onto the hose before insertion into such swaging device. Furthermore, such prior art apparatus could not be utilized for performing the pressing-on operation, since it includes no means for holding the hose end against the axial forces applied thereto by the pressing of the coupling thereonto.